Former TN minister and AIADMK leader Anwhar Rajaa quits party, set to join DMK

Chennai, July 21 (IANS) In a major political development, former AIADMK Minister A. Anwhar Rajaa ended his long-standing association with the party on Monday and walked into the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, party sources said.

Sources said that he is likely to formally join the DMK in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

Rajaa, who served as Labour Minister in the J. Jayalalithaa-led Cabinet from 2006 to 2011, had been growing increasingly disillusioned with the AIADMK leadership, particularly over its revived alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Although, he had maintained a low profile in recent months, his move to the rival DMK sent shockwaves through the AIADMK camp, which has already been grappling with dwindling support from minority communities.

In an apparent attempt at damage control, AIADMK sources confirmed that Rajaa was expelled from the party and stripped of his post and primary membership.

However, there has been no official statement from AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on the matter so far.

This is not the first time Rajaa has faced disciplinary action within the AIADMK.

He was previously expelled on November 30, 2021, on charges of engaging in anti-party activities.

The action followed his public endorsement of the then AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam's suggestion to readmit V.K. Sasikala -- Jayalalithaa's close aide -- into the party fold.

Rajaa was readmitted to the AIADMK on August 4, 2023, after he submitted a formal apology to Palaniswami.

His ideological discomfort with the BJP's growing influence in Tamil Nadu politics has been well documented.

He was one of the first AIADMK leaders to voice concern over the Union Home Minister Amit Shah's push for a coalition government model in the state, insisting such an arrangement would not be feasible in a Dravidian political landscape.

Rajaa also repeatedly spoke out against the BJP's power-sharing demands and ideological stance, further widening his rift with the AIADMK leadership.

With this high-profile switch, the DMK gains a senior leader from the rival camp, while the AIADMK faces fresh challenges in retaining its support base among minorities ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

--IANS

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